I have had both and like dish better. Either one is not cheap if you get major programing. I am getting the everything package (think every movie channel available), international channels (Chinese), and internet. Over $200 a month.

I have had both and like dish better. Either one is not cheap if you get major programing. I am getting the everything package (think every movie channel available), international channels (Chinese), and internet. Over $200 a month.

Whatever I get it will be the bare minimum. If we could get better internet we likely would just skip it all together

In the article I quoted they talk about the Genie?, but I guess they say it's nowhere as cool as the hopper.

It's the same thing, directvs genie/home media server can record 5 shows at once, the hopper can do 6. The genie can mulit room show -> play recorded programs on up to 3 rooms at once, and can run up to 4 rooms off that box. Cables and a tiny box required at each other tv. The hopper can probably do stuff like that but the only one i've seen was a giant pos. The genie is basically a standard hd/dvr on steroids. It works pretty good.

If you want good HD and/or HD/DVR go with DirecTV, their HD beats the piss out of Dish every day of the week; but for standard def go with dish, they have better pricing for standard definition stuff.

I switch between the 2 regularly to get the better "new customer" rate. I am currently with dish and have the hopper but Jim liked direct's whole house dvr better. There are only a couple shows that I prefer to watch and either service recorded them fine. Jim records all sorts of stupid shit and he thinks directs system was easier to manage and play back.

I switch between the 2 regularly to get the better "new customer" rate. I am currently with dish and have the hopper but Jim liked direct's whole house dvr better. There are only a couple shows that I prefer to watch and either service recorded them fine. Jim records all sorts of stupid shit and he thinks directs system was easier to manage and play back.

How bad do they ding you for installation each time you switch? That is the one thing I don't look forward too is having to do that every 2 years just to save some cash.